While Deignan, the former world champion and one of the biggest names in women’s cycling, eventually succumbed to the screaming in her legs as she continues her comeback from childbirth, Banks elevated her own stock with a commanding ride to put her arms into the red jersey belonging to the Queen of the Mountains.

Yet the honours on day one of this two-day women’s jaunt from the south of the county to the Yorkshire Dales, and then over to the coast, belonged to a young Dutch rider who sprinted clear up a slight incline into the throng of people lining Bedale’s Market Square.

Lorena Wiebes has not had many notable achievements in her career, but at just 20 years of age she looks well positioned to continue the fine tradition of the Netherlands producing female cyclists of the highest calibre. Holland is home to the last two road race world champions and the subplot of this intriguing 132km opening stage was the fact it took in the loop around Harrogate that in September will decide the winner of the fabled rainbow jersey.

“I’ve been doing it wrong in training so I’m glad I actually saw the proper course,” laughed Deignan, moments after crossing the line. “I’ve been coming at it from a different angle in training. God knows how. But it’s a good circuit.”

I can’t describe how special it is to be here with the jersey on and my family here; the crowds are amazing.

Lizzy Banks

The one and only chance to ride that key part of the worlds course in race conditions was why such a stellar field had assembled for the women’s Tour de Yorkshire.

Fourteen of the top 15 teams in the world set out from the shadow of the Town Hall in Barnsley at 9am making it the deepest field in terms of quality the women’s race has attracted.

Parity with their male counterparts in the length of the two stages and the prize money at the end of it were also enticing factors, but there can be no doubting the standard is also of equal merit.

Nor the numbers at roadside, with Yorkshire folk embracing the race as they have done in each of the previous four years.

Pedal power: Lizzie Deignan, centre, races with the peloton up from the Harrogate Pump Room on the 2019 World Championship loop during yesterday's first stage of the women's Tour de Yorkshire. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)

“It’s phenomenal that they were still all out there in the pouring rain,” said Deignan. “There were people in shorts and t-shirts. We’re so grateful they were still out supporting us.

“I didn’t quite have the legs to pull anything off. I’m still so eager to get going and I’m finding it boring. I can’t attack like I used to. But that will come back a couple of races down the line.

“At the moment for me it’s all about getting those races in and getting my race rhythm.”